SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)

Description of virus that causes the disease.

• Cause of SARS is called coronavirus.
• Coronavirus is originally known as an animal virus and slowly spread to humans.
• Diseases that are caused by coronavirus that affects humans are: The upper respiratory, gastrointestinal tract, most of the common colds, Rhinoviruses.
• More of the diseases that are caused that affect animals are: TGE (Transmissible Gastroenteritis Coronavirus), Bovine Coro

  SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)

  navirus, FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis), CCoV (Canine Coronavirus) MHV (Mouse Hepatitis Virus).
• SARS (coronavirus) is a type of viral pneumonia.
• SARS is a type of RNA virus.

Viral Specificity:

• SARS affects the respiratory system
• Also affects the lungs in very harsh conditions.
• Mainly Adults suffer from SARS
• Less than 2% of Children suffer from SARS

Symptoms and progression of the disease:

• The main symptom is a high fever of 38ºC or 100.4ºF

  Respiratory System

• Later symtoms are shortness of breath, dry cough, difficulty breathing,
• Fever starts to occur as well as muscle aches, chills, headaches and sore throats.
• A couple days later, a dry cough or/and shortness of breath occur.
• After a week, people tend to need a ventilator because of the severe breathing problems.

Common Methods of Transmission:

• Sneezing and coughing causing the droplets to spread
• People within a metre of the person with SARS sneezes/coughs, it can be inhaled or placed on there hands which touches the facial features.

Treatment and Prevention (if any):

• Hand washing is the most common way to stop from you to recieve SARS
• Good hygiene
• Cover your mouth when you sneeze
• Have a healthy immune system
• If needed, a ventilator for people who are short of breath

• Over 6000 cases have occured in 30 countries
• Currently no 100% accurate test is known
• 90% of SARS is found in Asia
• 2003 has been the first known SARS case
• There has been no sign of where it came from and what its going to do in the future.

Resources accessed:

• http://www.ctv.ca/generic/WebSpecials/sars/index_health.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome
• http://www.epha.org/a/322
• http://sarsprotection.com/sars_transmitted.html
• http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/s/sars/basics.htm